


of epiphanies and tropical fish

by taeils



Category: Block B
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 11:03:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1345114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeils/pseuds/taeils
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>it takes minhyuk twenty four years, a pair of guppies, and one exceptional aquarist to realize what he's been missing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	of epiphanies and tropical fish

minhyuk wakes up the morning of his 24th birthday and has an epiphany. it's while he's trying to locate his other sock - the one that should have been with the outfit he laid out the previous night but was most likely dragged away by his dog - and ignoring the notification sounds from his phone of coworkers leaving birthday wishes on his facebook. he locates his sock, still damp, tucked between the wall and the dog bed, and the labrador stirs and turns innocent black eyes to him as he holds it in front of her.

"this," he says sternly. "this isn't okay. socks are not for chewing. bad girl." the dog continues to stare at him with adorable, unblinking sleepiness, and, unable to actually be firm about the matter (even though the idea of a slobber-soaked sock makes him cringe), minhyuk tosses the sock into his laundry basket and pats her head. "come on, jae," he sighs. "breakfast."

selecting a different pair of socks - red ones, the only clean pair, that clash with his gray slacks - he leads the labrador to the kitchen. he checks his phone while he pours her food into the bowl, settling at the table once he's started preparing his morning coffee.

a "happy birthday," from jaehyo, and "hpy bday," from jiho. that one is probably the most interesting message, really. the rest are simple like jaehyo's; no extra message, no well wishes, and minhyuk finds himself thinking something he hasn't ever considered, not since his university graduation a few years ago when no one came to the ceremony to congratulate him.

"i have no friends," he mutters. it sounds so pathetic and impossible that he actually laughs, the sudden noise drawing jaekyung's attention from her food bowl.

but then the reality sinks in.

"i have no friends," he repeats dumbly.

sure, he has coworkers. jiho and jaehyo are decent enough, and yukwon is nice when minhyuk has to interact with him, but it's not like any of them go out of their way to be friendly. and the last time jaehyo invited minhyuk out for drinks, minhyuk had accidentally turned him down so quickly that he'd neglected to come to minhyuk for anything not work-related since.

so in retrospect, it's probably minhyuk's fault. he's not good at expressing himself, is quiet, prefers to keep to himself, and unwittingly ends up offending anyone who tries to initiate conversation.

"that should be my real skill. not sales," he sighs, massaging one temple with his forefinger. it's a wonder, really, that he made it this far. unsociable and businessman don't seem like two words that go together, and certainly don't explain why he's the lead sales associate in his sector.

it probably wouldn't be that hard, he supposes, stirring creamer into his coffee cup. he could compliment jiho on his hard work as a new employee, see if jaehyo is free for dinner, maybe chat up yukwon when he comes over to check on their work.

"some weather we're having," doesn't quite cut it, but it's the only thing he can think to say when he greets jaehyo at the office. jaehyo arches a brow at him.

"yeah. nothing like a good old ice storm to improve the morning commute," jaehyo says sarcastically, shedding his coat and hanging it on the back of his chair. minhyuk cringes inwardly. "as far as birthday weather goes, i have to hand it to you; if this doesn't make you want to crawl back into bed, i have a renewed admiration for your stamina."

"i actually don't mind the ice," minhyuk says, smiling sheepishly when jaehyo's brow goes higher. "though, the cold sure is a pain in the ass."

"you're telling me," jaehyo exhales, sitting down and turning his laptop on. "i made the executive decision to turn the heat up last night. my girlfriend wasn't happy about it, but it's my electric bill and i, for one, cannot handle this cold."

"morning guys," yukwon pokes his head into the cubicle. "dunno if you got the email, but there's meeting in about half an hour. just a heads up."

"thanks," jaehyo gives him a halfhearted smile, and minhyuk nods once. yukwon bows his head and ducks back out. the instant he's gone, a scowl takes precedence on jaehyo's face. "dunno if you got the email," he mimics, rolling his eyes. "if those lazy ceos would get off their asses and actually email us, he wouldn't have to run around telling everyone when there's a meeting."

"there's a meeting?" jiho asks, coming over to lean against jaehyo's desk, and ignoring the older boy's look of annoyance. "i just got in. traffic was awful."

"no surprise there," minhyuk purses his lips, thinking of how carefully he'd driven in order to avoid an ice-induced accident.

"they just announced it," jaehyo says, shooing jiho away from his desk. "in half an hour."

"do you know what for?" the younger male inquires curiously.

"yes, to discuss how detrimental dyed-blond hair is to the work environment," jaehyo answers with a straight face. minhyuk stifles a snort, and jiho gives him a feigned affronted look, reaching up to run a hand through his own blond hair. "i wish," jaehyo adds a bit wryly. "who knows? why do we ever have meetings? now get out, i have calls to make and i don't need you in here distracting me."

"yeah, yeah. see you guys at the meeting," jiho chuckles before heading to his own work space.

minhyuk faces his laptop, remembering belatedly that he hadn't turned it on when he arrived. he checks his phone while he lets it boot up, unsurprised to see any new birthday messages.

when he and jaehyo head to the meeting, he finds himself wondering if it would feel any different to get a "happy birthday" spoken to him.

 

 

it's around noon when jiho comes to minhyuk, a little red-faced, clearly upset.

"i need your help," the blond grunts, thrusting a bunch of paperwork into minhyuk's hands. momentarily overwhelmed, the older boy stares at the papers without moving; then, remembering himself, he glances back at jiho with a mixture of surprise that jiho actually came to him for help (he is a senior in the department, after all), and gratitude that jiho would deem him worthy of coming to for help.

"what seems to be the problem?" minhyuk asks, scanning the documents in his hands.

"it's this project they assigned me," jiho explains, a hint of a huff in his voice. minhyuk picks out keywords: bargain, adjacent building, buy from owner. "you know that fish store next to our building?" looking up, minhyuk nods.

"i thought it was an aquarium," he says, picturing the medium sized shop in his head. "does the owner actually sell fish there?"

"yeah, and he's a complete lunatic!" jiho exclaims, folding his arms. jaehyo shoots a look over his shoulder, signaling for the younger boy to lower his voice. "the higher-ups want that building, who knows for what. my job is to try and strike a bargain with the owner, get him to sell it to us, you know the drill. but can you believe the nerve?? no matter what i offered, he refused to sell! practically chased me out of there! i swear, i thought he was going to attack me!"

minhyuk rereads the first bits of the information in the paperwork. the store is simply called tropical fish, owned by a man named lee taeil. a small, independent business. "seems like it should be easy to get some sort of agreement. there are plenty of other buildings in the area that he could relocate to," minhyuk mutters.

"exactly!" jiho says frustratedly. "but he was set against me! nothing i said would change his mind!"

minhyuk sees the word business repeated throughout the papers. "...need the extra space for business." "...perfect for business..." "...a more important business than the tropical fish industry..."

for some reason, he finds himself the smallest bit alarmed. what could be more important than a local fish vendor? aren't local businesses like that important, too? who decides that kind of thing?

"well?" jiho's intent voice draws him back.

sighing, he taps the paperwork on his desk to straighten it and stands up. "i'll see if i can talk to him."

"you're the best, minhyuk!" jiho's irritation gives way to a big grin as he pats the older boy on the back.

minhyuk feels slightly apprehensive as he waits for the elevator, jiho's words ringing in his ears.

 

 

minhyuk has a very good reputation with his company. he's been with them the longest, has the best record of successful sales, and is usually complimented as being the most agreeable sales associate (how anyone came to that conclusion, he's still not sure). his bosses describe his technique as "bag em, tag em, and drag em back," a saying which stuck among his coworkers but minhyuk hates it so much that most refrain from using it around him, despite that it still circulates around the office.

when he's standing outside the door to tropical fish, though, he feels puny and undeserving of such high expectations.

jiho already tried to get the owner to sell and he wouldn't. what can minhyuk possibly say to change his mind? jiho is a fairly capable salesman, even if he is rather new to the company. if he had trouble, something tells minhyuk he won't fare much better.

plucking up what little courage he has, he reaches for the door handle.

when he opens the door, a bell tinkles. stepping inside is like walking into a completely different universe, minhyuk realizes. fish tanks line the walls and aisles, full of all kinds of fish of different shapes, colors, and sizes. it's really quite incredible, and minhyuk can't help staring, mesmerized. he's never been to an aquarium before now, but something tells him it must be an amazing experience.

"hello, can i help you?" a surprisingly high pitched voice catches his attention, and he locates the speaker, who seems preoccupied feeding a school of colorful fish in the tank by the counter in the front left corner of the shop. the voice belongs to a short male in a black hoodie; upon turning toward minhyuk, he notes the remarkably childlike facial features, the thick-rimmed glasses that cling to the tip of his nose, and the way his lips automatically purse when he takes in minhyuk's appearance.

clearing his throat, minhyuk attempts to sound authoritative. "hello, i'm here on behalf of-"

"can it," the male interrupts, wiping his hands on the loosely tied apron around his waist as he sets the fish food aside and pushes the glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "i've had enough of stupid, half-assed sales pitches. if you're not here to buy a fish, get out." minhyuk stands by the door, slightly flabbergasted, as the male busies himself with the next tank.

well. he hadn't been expecting such an immediate refusal. jiho really hadn't been kidding.

but, rather than leaving without a more thorough attempt, minhyuk stays where he is, watching the owner feed the rest of the tanks in the line. when he finishes, he comes back to the front, not bothering to look at minhyuk as he situates himself behind the counter and takes a book out.

this obviously isn't going anywhere.

"excuse me," minhyuk says. no response. "excuse me," he tries again, louder this time, and the male exhales loudly, putting the book down.

"you're still here? i thought i told you to leave," he says, giving minhyuk a once over. his gaze unnerves the businessman somehow, puts him on edge, makes him almost forget to speak.

"i-i was wondering," dammit, minhyuk pull yourself together, he internally scolds, "is there a reason you are against selling this building?"

the male blinks at him. "a reason?" he repeats. "why should i have a reason? this is a good location. i like it. simple as that." he taps a few fingers on the counter, frowning. "besides, moving all of my babies would take too long. we're comfortable here."

"b-babies?" minhyuk stutters.

"my fish," the owner gives him an unimpressed look. "let me ask you this, how would you feel if somebody barged in and expected you to sell your home at the drop of a hat?" minhyuk's voice catches in his throat, and he can only open and close his mouth in reply. "fish have feelings too, you know. they are very attuned to their environment, and even minute changes can affect them drastically."

minhyuk isn't sure what to say. should he offer an apology? to the fish? and for what? he's simply doing his job as a salesman.

however, he does feel guilty somehow. what right does he have to come into this shop and tell this man to sell it?

"you asked me if i had a reason why i wanted to stay here," the male says, folding his arms. "so tell me, does your company have a reason for wanting this building?" minhyuk swallows. "that other goon said you need the extra space. what for? you guys already have that building. how many stories? 30? 40? i hardly see what difference having this shop will make."

minhyuk stays silent. he can't think of any response, any possible argument.

this visit was completely useless. he feels idiotic for coming, for thinking that somehow he was justified in this.

he leaves with a bitter taste in his mouth.

 

 

the second epiphany hits minhyuk when he's laying in bed, trying to sleep.

he hates his job.

 

 

"you've got to be kidding me," jaehyo says, eyeing minhyuk warily. "you? don't like sales??"

minhyuk should have known better than to tell anyone, particularly jaehyo, but it sort of slipped out when the other had asked why he'd been sitting in front of his laptop, staring off into space since he got to the office.

"i-it's not that," he tries to say, self-consciousness getting the better of him. "it's this job. i... don't like being known for pushing people around. i don't like pushing people around."

"that's ridiculous," jaehyo scoffs incredulously. "you're not pushing anyone around. it's a just a little nudge in the right direction! come on, the point of sales is to show our clients why they should buy or sell, not get buddy-buddy and sympathize." minhyuk grits his teeth at that.

"why not?" he snaps. "our clients are people. isn't it important to view them that way and take into account more than just our company's profit?"

"funny, i didn't see anything about being a people-person in our job description," jaehyo replies coldly. "you're not paid to get along with customers, minhyuk."

"don't lecture me like i'm a new employee!" minhyuk says, voice raising bit by bit. he's not even sure why they're arguing over this. obviously jaehyo doesn't see where he's coming from; and he should probably just leave it at that. but he won't allow the other male to talk down to him. "i've worked here longer than you, and i'm higher ranked. talk to me with respect!"

jaehyo opens his mouth to retort, but before he has a chance, jiho hurriedly steps in. "hey, hyung," he walks to minhyuk's desk, purposefully drawing the elder boy's gaze from jaehyo's glare. "i told my bosses about the situation with the fish shop. they said to just drop it, so you don't have to worry about trying to convince that crazy fish guy to sell the building."

"good to know," minhyuk says, attempting a smile. it probably looks strained.

"yeah, i'm just glad neither of us has to go back there," jiho mutters, relieved. "thanks for all your help yesterday. i know it had a lot more impact for them, hearing not even you could talk any sense into the owner." his wording sets off a strange, twisting sensation in minhyuk's stomach.

he hadn't really even tried to convince the man. and what sense was there to be talked? there wasn't even a reason the company needed the building. of course minhyuk wasn't going to be able to do anything.

"anyway, let me know if i can do anything to make it up to you," jiho goes on. "i really owe you one. i think i probably would have had my ass handed to me if you didn't back me up."

"it's fine," minhyuk says a bit tersely. "i'm glad to help out." out of the corner of his eye, he see jaehyo roll his eyes.

after jiho leaves, minhyuk sits still for only a moment before abruptly standing up.

"what are you doing?" jaehyo asks agitatedly, watching him with narrowed eyes. "you haven't even started working."

"lunch break," minhyuk says simply.

 

 

"just these?" the store clerk asks as minhyuk tells her the brand of cigarettes he wants. he nods, pays, and accepts the change before heading back out to the street.

it's been a while since the last time he smoked. he laughs a little to himself, recalling it to be the night he turned down jaehyo's invitation for drinks.

"i really am pathetic, huh," he mumbles, seating himself on the steps outside the company building. he shivers as he lights up a cigarette, wishing he'd remembered to grab his coat before leaving. taking a slow puff, he exhales the smoke out around him, watching it hover longer than usual in the dense, cold air.

pathetic rings in his ears. friendless lee minhyuk, the salesman who hates his job.

he thinks of jaehyo's harsh words. had minhyuk himself started out that way? is that why everyone gave him such a reputation? because he simply didn't care about customers, only focused on earning as much profit as possible?

he takes another drag and sighs, breathing the smoke out through his nose. it makes his throat sting and eyes water, but he doesn't move, staring out at the empty street.

sales is stupid. salesmen are stupid. he should have majored in something more meaningful than business, like art or music. at least that way he could influence people in a better way.

he recalls the way the man from the fish store had looked at him, like he was something repulsive. shooting a look in the direction of the shop, he lets out another sigh.

why did he have to make so much sense? why is minhyuk letting this get to him so much? all he can think about is how badly he wants to prove to someone, anyone, that not all businessmen are bad guys.

using the pavement to put out the cigarette, minhyuk stands up, walking hesitantly over to the door of tropical fish. what had the owner's name been? lee taeil? he certainly had been interesting. minhyuk finds himself curious about him. and the fish.

he checks the shop hours. open late! is all it says, and a chuckle escapes him. he decides to stop by again after he gets out of work.

 

 

jaehyo says nothing when minhyuk returns to the office. he barely even acknowledges him, only briefly looking up before going back to whatever he's working on. minhyuk doesn't mind, really. he's not mad at jaehyo anymore, and would prefer not to exhaust himself with any further arguments.

when minhyuk packs up around 6:00, tugging his coat on, yukwon stops by the cubicle.

"heading out early?" he asks curiously.

"yeah, i'm not feeling well," minhyuk says. it's not exactly a lie. he pretends he doesn't see the look jaehyo shoots him.

"that sucks," yukwon says with a sympathetic frown, patting his shoulder. "i'll tell the big guys for you. go home and rest up, okay?"

"thanks," minhyuk says gratefully.

yukwon leaves, and minhyuk is just leaning over to grab his bag when jaehyo turns to face him. straightening, he meets jaehyo's gaze, and the two stare at each other for a moment. finally, jaehyo utters, a bit embarrassedly, "hope you feel better," before turning back to his laptop.

stunned, minhyuk stands by his desk, still staring at the back of jaehyo's head. his words hadn't sounded sarcastic, the venom from earlier replaced with what minhyuk thinks sounds like genuine concern.

"thanks," he says softly. jaehyo glances back at him to nod, and he feels color rush to his face.

it's one step in the right direction, he supposes. one step closer to actually being friends.

maybe he should pretend to be sick more often.

making his way down, minhyuk pauses once he gets outside. he takes a reluctant step the opposite direction of tropical fish, reasoning it wouldn't be a good idea to go. he'd probably just get shooed out anyway, so no point in going, right? except his feet are already leading back, and he's standing just outside the shop. with a nervous sigh, he opens the door.

he's greeted by the same bell tinkling, the sight of the fish tanks as incredible the second time as the first. he spots taeil - the owner, he means, behind the counter, book in hand. this time he's dressed in a black button up shirt, skull-patterned scarf hanging around his neck with one end precariously tucked into his apron. minhyuk ends up staring a little too intently, jumping when taeil looks up and sees him.

"oh," the male says, lips pursed. "it's you again." of course minhyuk hadn't expected a warm reception, so he ignores the distaste in his voice and opts instead to walk further into the store and look at the different fish. taeil watches him, staying silent. a moment passes, then, "if you're here about yesterday, my answer is still the same."

minhyuk looks up from the pair of small, colorful fish he'd been observing. he opens his mouth, ready to explain that the company had already backed off, but before he has a chance, the sound of a phone ringing comes from the counter.

taeil shoots him a look that says, "stay quiet," before answering.

"hello, this is tropical fish, lee taeil speaking-" he stops, listening. "ah, chaerinnie! it's been a while. i was wondering when you'd call. how are your angelfish doing?"

minhyuk hates eavesdropping. it's disrespectful, he knows, but he unwittingly inches closer, keeping his eyes trained on the fish in the tank in front of him.

"... ah, i'm sorry to hear that," taeil is saying. "..... no, no, it's not your fault at all! you took such good care of him. he was an older fish when you got him, so it probably was just his time to go." minhyuk leans down, examining the tank of a spotted fish with what appear to be whiskers on the front of its face. "... of course, i'd love to help you pick a new fish! i actually have quite a few younger angelfish right now, if you want to come in and take a look. tomorrow? yes, that would be perfect."

peering over as taeil pulls out a notepad and pen, minhyuk watches him scribble something down. "... yes, don't worry. thank you for always coming to tropical fish... i'm always glad to provide everything you need to keep your fish happy and healthy." he pauses, smiling and nodding. "okay. i'll see you tomorrow, then." hanging up the phone, he tears the note out and tacks it to a wooden board on the wall behind him. when he turns back, he spots minhyuk, expression immediately turning sour. "you're still here? i thought i made myself clear-"

"what kind of fish is this?" minhyuk interrupts, flush threatening him as taeil stops and stares at him, mouth still open.

and just like that, there's a shift in his demeanor. he comes over to see the fish that minhyuk is pointing to, face brightening. "ah, that's a tropical catfish. very beautiful to look at, no?" minhyuk nods, eyes following the fish's slow movement along the bottom of the tank.

"what are those whiskers for?"

"you mean the barbels?" taeil laughs, causing more color to flood minhyuk's cheeks. "they're like tastebuds." he moves down the line, gesturing to another tank. "see, these zebrafish have them, too." minhyuk follows him, observing the small striped fish as they swim around.

"do all fish have them?" he asks.

"no," taeil replies, sounding amused. "catfish do, as do some koi, carp, and sturgeon. there are some species of sharks that have barbels, too."

minhyuk looks up, mildly alarmed. "you don't sell sharks here, do you??"

taeil blinks at him before bursting into laughter, and minhyuk is beginning to think he should keep his mouth shut. "if only," the short male says with a grin, moving to push his glasses up. "sharks would require a lot more space than i have, though. they make wonderful pets, actually."

minhyuk wants to ask how he knows that, wonders if he actually has owned a shark before, but he thinks better of the question. instead, he glances around the shop, a different question on the tip of his tongue. "so which are your favorite kinds of fish?"

when he looks back at taeil, he sees the male's shining eyes, grin spreading across his face.

taeil leads him around the shop, telling him about the assorted fish in each tank. minhyuk figures he did this to himself, but he actually doesn't mind. hearing about each species is enough to keep him interested, and he likes the way taeil talks: animatedly, a little too fast, excitement obviously getting the better of him.

it's really adorable to see a grown man get this excited about fish.

"i like these ones," minhyuk says, pointing to the two small colorful fish he'd seen when he first came in.

"ah, those are my last two guppies," taeil tells him proudly. "guppies are quite popular with beginning aquarists since they're very easy to care for." he smiles fondly, eyeing the two fish. "that green one is jihoon. and the red one is princess. they're both males, but princess acts like a female, so they get along very well. most males can be aggressive with each other, you see."

"they're cute," minhyuk comments. he feels silly, but he's become a little attached, watching the small fish dart around in the water.

perhaps that's why he can't exactly say no when taeil eagerly asks, "would you like to buy them?"

he tries without success to come up with an excuse to turn him down, thinks long and hard as taeil helps him pick the right sized tank and gets him all the materials he'll need.

"trust me, guppies are wonderful, you won't regret taking them home," the short male chirps happily, bringing him to the counter. "and believe it or not, fish are great listeners, so don't be ashamed if you find yourself talking to them."

i already do that with my dog, minhyuk thinks. "oh," he says, remembering. "i have a dog."

"is it aggressive?" taeil asks, bending down to ruffle through a file cabinet. minhyuk shakes his head when he comes back up. "then don't worry. i've found that dogs and fish get along very well, so long as the dog doesn't get territorial or anything." he sets a few papers down and slides a pen toward minhyuk. "can you please fill this out for me? i like to keep files for all my customers." when minhyuk gives him an odd look, he adds, "it's just basic information. i guess you don't have to fill out everything if you don't want to. but i at least need your name and a phone number in case i need to contact you for any reason."

minhyuk bites his lip, glancing over the paper. he picks up the pen, fills out a few things. name: lee minhyuk. phone number. birthday: december 14th.

"ah, it was your birthday yesterday?" taeil exclaims as minhyuks hands the paper and pen back to him. he nods numbly. "happy birthday, lee minhyuk," the aquarist smiles dazzlingly at him, disappearing as he leans down to put the file away. minhyuk is thankful for the cover because he's almost certain blush has spread across his whole face.

taeil goes over the important information in setting up the tank and getting the guppies comfortable. he retrieves the two fish, handing them to minhyuk in a small but thick transparent bag. "make sure you set up the tank right when you get home," the male tells him. "it's not good to keep them cramped up for too long." minhyuk nods again, accepting the bag when taeil hands it to him.

after charging him, taeil bags the materials. "you drive?" another nod. "where are you parked? do you need help carrying the stuff?" blush creeps along the edges of minhyuk's face once more.

"it's okay, i should be able to handle it," he starts to say, but taeil has already come out from behind the counter, flipping the open sign at the front of the store to closed and grabbing a puffy green jacket.

"nonsense, it's a lot to carry," he chides, placing the lid inside and picking up the tank. "lead the way." minhyuk can only grab the other bags and the fish and beckon for taeil to follow him outside.

taeil helps him load the stuff into the front seat of minhyuk's car, making sure the guppies are safely tucked against the seat before closing the door.

"thanks for stopping by," the short male grins. "i hope i didn't bore you too much."

"n-no," minhyuk hurriedly assures him, fingers hesitating on the car door handle. "i enjoyed hearing about your fish." taeil's smile grows.

"take care of jihoon and princess. oh, and please come by again if you need any help! i'm open most hours of the day."

"thank you," minhyuk bows his head. taeil starts to leave and minhyuk gets into the vehicle, starting it and turning the heat up. he  jumps a little when he hears knuckles rap against the window, and he rolls it down, confused to see that taeil hadn't left yet.

"sorry, i just..." the aquarist pauses, seeming to think about what he wants to say. "i wanted to apologize. i think i was a little rude to you earlier. you're not bad, for a businessman. i would really like it if you stopped by again."

minhyuk doesn't even bother to stop the blush that sparks along his face now.

"i will," he says quietly.

"good," taeil smiles. "drive safely."

minhyuk watches him jog away, waiting until he's out of sight before putting the window back up. he takes a deep breath, then squeezes his eyes shut and lets his head fall against the steering wheel.

he hadn't even had a chance to tell taeil that the company had left him alone.

 

 

after he finishes setting up the fish tank, minhyuk goes over the receipt, calculating his budget. the numbers catch his attention. isn't it a bit small? he definitely remembers taeil saying guppies costed more than this, not to mention two of them, along with all the other necessary things he bought.

he turns the receipt over, noticing the note scribbled on the back. strange, he hadn't seen taeil write anything on it.

the message reads, "i give discounts on birthdays!"

minhyuk reads it three times.

then he falls onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow.

 

 

minhyuk almost has a heart attack when he wakes up and sees the fish tank. it takes him a moment of mild panic to recall that, yes, he had indeed purchased two guppies the previous day.

it almost feels like it was a dream.

as he gets up, he sees jaekyung sitting by the tank, dark eyes eagerly following the small colorful creatures. "like them?" he asks groggily, stifling a yawn. the labrador glances at him and barks before going back to watching the fish.

after he's showered, dressed, and ate breakfast, he returns to the tank to feed the guppies before he leaves for work.

"you guys sure are cute," he mutters, leaning down, eyeing the two fish. "what'd he call you? jihoon? and princess?" they continue to lazily swim around, catching any food flakes that come near. "you couldn't tell me anything about him, could you?" feeling self conscious, he stands abruptly, nearly knocking over the fish food container.

he's doing it. talking to fish. this is ridiculous. and as if they could actually somehow respond, too!

shaking his head, minhyuk abandons the tank and grabs his coffee before heading out.

he arrives to the office a little late. the roads are still slippery from leftover ice, and it takes him a while to even get out of his driveway, let alone drive to the company parking lot. jaehyo watches him, a bit amused, as he slumps into his chair, fanning himself with one hand.

"how unlike you to be late," jaehyo says, grinning when minhyuk shoots him a look.

"yeah, well, being on time was getting boring," he says, waving dismissively. "thought i should change things up a bit. you know, get stuck in traffic, nearly slip off the road. gotta be rebellious sometimes."

jaehyo stifles a laugh into the back of his hand. "so you're feeling better, then?" he says as minhyuk peels off his coat and boots up his laptop.

minhyuk is about to ask what he means, but he remembers just in time. "yeah. much better," he mumbles, thinking of the warm feeling in his chest when he'd left the fish shop yesterday.

"that's good," jaehyo says, turning back to his laptop for a brief moment. he faces minhyuk again, though, brow furrowed. "you know, actually, i... wanted to apologize for the other day." minhyuk sits up straighter, noting the guilt in his voice.

"it's fine-" he starts to say, but jaehyo fervently shakes his head, silencing him.

"you're my senior and i was very disrespectful." jaehyo bows his head now. "i thought about what you said to me. you had a good point, and i should have listened. for arguing, i'm sorry." he straightens. "from now on, i will work harder to be a more sympathetic and sociable salesman. thank you for your advice."

minhyuk blinks helplessly at the other male, blush faintly coloring his cheeks. "th-that's-" he struggles in trying to put together a coherent sentence. he's flattered, actually. he hadn't expected jaehyo to completely change his mind like this, nor to thank him.

"meeting today," yukwon pokes his head in before he can finish. minhyuk is almost relieved for the distraction. "half an hour."

"not another one," jaehyo groans. "what the hell is it this time?"

"you didn't hear this from me, but..." yukwon glances around to make sure no one else is nearby before leaning closer. "... apparently somebody hacked the big boss's email and used it to send a mass email to a lot of the staff."

"o-oh?" minhyuk utters, finally recovering himself. "what was in the email?"

a mischievous grin spreads across yukwon's face. "links to videos from pornhub."

minhyuk is honestly surprised that both he and jaehyo manage to stop laughing in time for the meeting.

 

 

compared to the first two times minhyuk walked into tropical fish, the third seems unrealistic. unlike before, taeil's face lights up when he sees the businessman, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "ah, it's you!" he says, immediately putting down the fish food he'd been pouring into one of the tanks by the front.

"h-hello," minhyuk greets, fighting off blush as he approaches the counter.

"i was hoping you'd be back today," taeil says cheerfully, wiping his hands on his apron. "lee minhyuk, right?" the blush prevails, and minhyuk quietly nods. "how'd the setup go?"

"very well, thank you," minhyuk humbly answers, "your instructions were very useful." he quickly adds, "but don't let me interrupt you if you're working."

"i'm just feeding them," taeil laughs. "it's not really interrupting. do you want to help?" minhyuk supposes the look on his face resembles a deer in headlights because the short male laughs again, picking the fish food back up. "i'm kidding," he grins. "feel free to look around while i finish up."

minhyuk leans against the counter, watching taeil feed the last few tanks. when he's done, he puts the fish food away and comes to join him.

"do you take care of all the fish here?" minhyuk asks interestedly.

"of course," taeil says, a hint of pride in his voice. "who else would do it?"

"that's impressive," minhyuk murmurs, gazing around at all the tanks. "and you don't get tired of it, day in and day out?"

"i don't know if you remember when i said it the first time," the short male says, arching a brow, "but these fish are like my children. i like taking care of them, at least until they can be taken to a good home." minhyuk gives him an awestruck look. "what?" he laughs. "we’re both salesmen. it's no different from what you do."

yeah, minhyuk thinks, but at least you like what you're doing.

"so how much business do you get?" he asks. taeil gives him a look, and he bites his lip. he doesn't think this has to do with the company wanting the building, does he? "it's a harmless question, i'm just curious."

"enough to keep it going," the aquarist shrugs. "i'm definitely not losing this place anytime soon."

minhyuk opens his mouth, about to again bring up the company's decision to leave tropical fish alone, but at that moment the bell tinkles.

"welcome," taeil says, eyeing minhyuk with amusement before he recognizes the newcomer. "ah, chaerinnie, you're right on time!" he ducks out from behind the counter and goes to greet her.

the woman is dressed fashionably in a long fur coat, stiletto heels adorning her feet. her blond hair is pulled over to one side, away from her face, and expertly applied makeup enhances her facial features. she's really quite pretty, and minhyuk can't help staring a little as she follows taeil to the angelfish tanks.

so even people like that can be fish enthusiasts, he finds himself thinking, impressed.

"these ones are the youngest," taeil tells her, gesturing. "that green one isn't even a year old and is very healthy, so she's likely to live the longest if you take good care of her."

"she's cute," chaerin smiles. "her coloring is exquisite." she observes for a moment, nodding slowly. "yes, i think she will be perfect."

"wonderful!" taeil beams. "wait by the counter, i'll ring you up after i collect her for you." the woman nods again and turns toward the counter where minhyuk is still lingering. she blinks at him.

"taeil," she says. taeil looks up with a hm? from where he's starting to remove the tank lid, spotting minhyuk.

"ah, that's another customer of mine," he tells her. "minhyuk, can you please wait by the catfish until i'm done helping chaerin?" minhyuk nods numbly, moving as the richly dressed woman takes his place by the counter.

"you're a customer here?" she asks, eyeing him. he blushes faintly.

"um, only recently," he mumbles in reply. "i actually only bought my first fish yesterday." a smile spreads across her face.

"how cute," she says, and his blush brightens. "you don't look like the type of person to be interested in fish." minhyuk almost wants to return the sentiment. "are you taeil's friend?"

caught off guard, his mouth hangs open a bit. friends? the idea has him weak-kneed. he'd love to be, really. but before he can think to respond, taeil joins them, gingerly handing the fish to chaerin.

"her name is sandara. i know you'll take good care of her," he says fondly. "is there anything else i can get for you while you're here?"

"no, but i'll most likely be back within the month to get more food. i should be okay for a while," the woman tells him.

"got it," taeil nods.

minhyuk waits quietly as chaerin pays. she hangs around a few extra minutes, chatting with taeil before bidding goodbye. she smiles at minhyuk on her way out, and he can't help thinking it'd be nice to be friends with her, too.

"sorry about that," taeil says as he writes something down, moving to tack it to the board behind him. "i hope you weren't bored."

"i-i wasn't," minhyuk assures, shuffling to be closer to the counter. he hesitates, trying to decide if he should say what's on his mind. after a moment, he mutters, "...the way you work is very... considerate."

taeil blinks at him "what do you mean?"

"you pay a lot of attention to your customers," minhyuk hastily explains, thinking of the phone call from the previous day, as well as taeil's eagerness to help chaerin when she came in. "i'm used to being in an environment where the only thing people care about is profit. to see the way you interact with the fish and your customers... i-it's very refreshing."

the short male suppresses a laugh, giving the businessman an apologetic look when he frowns. "that was a very genuine thing to say," taeil grins. "in my opinion, it's my job to make sure my customers are comfortable. and i wouldn't be anywhere without healthy fish, either. if i couldn't make my customers happy, i'd have no business to run. i'd never sell any fish. and i really would have had to sell this building to your company," he chuckles.

"ah!" minhyuk exclaims, "about that!" taeil gives him a curious look. "i meant to say before, but kept losing the opportunity. you don't have to worry about the company bothering you again. they gave up on buying this building after i first came here."

"really??" taeil says, eyes widening in surprise. "i thought-"

"yes, i know, i seemed suspicious coming back so soon after," minhyuk mumbles, averting his gaze. "it was only because i wanted to see the fish, though. i didn't even want to convince you to sell in the first place." out of the corner of his eye, he sees a grin spread across taeil's face.

"i actually figured as much," the aquarist says, not missing a beat. "you looked so pathetic when you first showed up, the only way i could tell you were a salesman was from your suit." bright color pools in minhyuk's cheeks.

"really? i was that inconspicuous?" he asks weakly, glancing up. taeil nods, still grinning. "seriously?"

"i'm dead serious. you looked like you thought i was going to throw you in a tank full of piranhas."

"but that's only because jiho said you chased him out of the store-" minhyuk protests.

"jiho?" taeil interjects. "is that the other guy that showed up before you? the hot-headed blond? boy, he sure got mad when i turned him down." minhyuk embarrassedly pictures the younger male, stamping his foot like an angry child as taeil politely declined the offer. "i actually think i was pretty civil with him, but he blew up and said i'd regret it. quite a temper. can't imagine he'd make many successful sales with that attitude."

"i'd like to apologize on his behalf," minhyuk mutters. "he's rather new to the department. he still has a lot to learn."

"i don't want an apology from you," taeil says straightforwardly, and minhyuk stares at him. "you did nothing wrong. really, i feel more sorry for you than me, seeing as he must have bothered you when he couldn't convince me himself."

minhyuk bites his lip. "it was no bother," he says quietly.

it really wasn't. if jiho hadn't troubled him to come down here, he wouldn't have had the chance to meet taeil. which, if he looks at it that way, was a particularly good birthday present.

he'll have to remember to thank jiho for it. after he reminds him to apologize to taeil.

  
  
  


 

 

minhyuk starts to spend his lunch breaks at tropical fish, as well as leave the office early to spend the extra time there. he tells himself he's simply taken a liking to aquatic creatures. obviously, he's not a very good liar.

as he spends more time there, he learns more about taeil. that taeil drives a motorcycle. that he has more tattoos than he can count on his fingers (more than half of which minhyuk has yet to see). that he had, indeed, at one time had a pet shark. that he has names for every single fish in his aquarium (and can tell them all apart).

most importantly, though, he learns from taeil. about what it means to work hard and do what he loves.

and he finds out that he likes taeil. a lot.

they never officially become friends (minhyuk's not sure what he imagined that would be like - some sort of ceremonial proclamation? taken down in writing? or had if always been implied?), but their relationship does go beyond that (he's also not sure when casual greetings turn into needy kisses but he's not complaining in the least).

(needless to say, taeil is the one to ask minhyuk out. he brings it up so nonchalantly that minhyuk almost doesn't understand; to his relief, a kiss is answer enough for the aquarist, as he's positive he would have stuttered had he tried to get any words out.)

the news spreads around the office like wildfire. it all starts with jiho; and minhyuk should have known better, really, than to try to explain himself.

"where do you keep disappearing to?" the younger male asks, smirking as he watches minhyuk button his peacoat. "i don't even remember the last time you stayed a full day. you don't have a girlfriend, do you...?"

"it's not that," minhyuk says hotly, folding his arms.

"oh?" jiho frowns now, leaning back against the elder boy's desk. "then what is it?"

"you wanna know?" jaehyo asks, snickering when minhyuk shoots him a warning look, blush painting his face.

"don't you dare," he commands weakly. jaehyo is the only other person who knows, and frankly, he wants to keep it that way, if possible (clearly, he decides later, it is impossible to keep secrets from an office full of grown men who act like teenage girls when it comes to gossip) (to his relief, though, the bosses never hear about it).

"what?" jiho says eagerly, glancing between the two older males. "tell me!" a wicked grin has steadily spread across jaehyo's face, leaving an increasingly sinking feeling in the pit of minhyuk's stomach.

"if you say anything, i swear to god you are paying for dinner next time and i am going to order the most expensive items on the menu," he says through gritted teeth.

he already knows he's lost the second jaehyo's mouth opens. "he's dating that fish boy from next door," the male says cheekily.

minhyuk deflates as jiho's eyes widen significantly, and he pathetically attempts to hide behind the popped collar of his jacket as the younger male stares at him in awe. "seriously? hyung, you're really with that crazy fish dude??" he utters.

"th-that's not..." minhyuk trails off, face burning.

"i'm impressed. who knew you actually had it in you," jiho says, shaking his head in mild disbelief. "you have really weird taste."

"shut up," minhyuk mutters.

he's more than relieved when yukwon pulls jiho away for an assignment.

"sorry," jaehyo says, amused grin tugging at his mouth.

"i really wish you were," minhyuk sighs, massaging his temples with both hands.

"next monday good for you?" the other male asks smugly. "i got a few really good commissions this month. figure i could treat you."

"you better," minhyuk shoots him a look. "i am never telling you anything ever again." jaehyo just laughs.

 

 

"you don't look too happy," taeil comments, eyeing minhyuk with a mixture of concern and amusement. he stands at the door for a moment before trudging in further and sort of flopping onto the counter.

"my coworkers abuse me," he grumbles.

"i'm sorry," taeil chuckles, running a hand through minhyuk's hair. "anything i can do about it?" minhyuk looks up at him, pouting, and all he can do is chuckle once more, leaning in and briefly catching his lips.

"that helps," the businessman mumbles, eyes lingering on taeil's mouth as he draws back. taeil smirks at him, seems to contemplate going in for another kiss, but before he can decide, the shop door opens, bell tinkling (minhyuk has grown to really like that sound).

"good evening," chaerin greets, grinning as she spots the two.

"chaerinnie," taeil says, surprise widening his eyes. "what brings you here today? usually you call before coming."

"i just felt like seeing you guys is all," she tells him, laughing lightly when he raises a brow at her. "alright, i need more food for my babies."

"i knew there was a reason," taeil says to minhyuk, nodding, and minhyuk gives him an amused look as he comes out from behind the counter to follow chaerin to the back of the store to look at fish food. the businessman starts to head for the door, but taeil pokes his head out from behind one of the aisles and calls, "wait a minute, will you? i had something to ask you," so he ends up pausing, standing a few feet from the counter as taeil and chaerin return.

"how are your guppies doing?" chaerin asks him as taeil rings her up.

"they're well," minhyuk replies, grinning. "they've taken to messing with my dog whenever she watches them. they'll swim to the back of the tank when they know they have her attention, just to get her to bark at them."

"what perfect little tricksters," chaerin laughs.

she leaves after paying, only chatting a bit - "i have an appointment, otherwise i'd love to hang around," she tells them apologetically - and once she's gone, minhyuk turns a curious gaze to taeil.

"alright," he says, leaning against the counter, "what is it?"

"straight to the point, huh," taeil says, entertainment lighting his own gaze. "the thing is, i was wondering if i could come over tonight. i was hoping i could come see jihoon and princess. you told chaerin they're doing well, but i'd still like to see for myself."

minhyuk stares at him for a moment, not really digesting more than the first statement. "you want to come over?" he repeats a bit dumbly.

"yes, that's what i said," taeil suppresses a grin. "unless you don't want me to, of course."

minhyuk's eyes widen. "i didn't say-" he swallows, words dying his throat.

he tries not to think of what having taeil at his house would do to him. having the privacy. the bedroom. the opportunity.

he has to remind himself that taeil wants to come over to see his fish.

"yes. please. i mean," he cringes at himself, "sure. if you want to."

"perfect!" the grin taeil had been holding back breaks across his face. "let me close up shop and we can go right now."

minhyuk's mouth hangs open slightly as he helplessly watches taeil abandon the counter, flip the sign to closed, pull on his jacket, and grab his helmet from where he'd set it on top of the catfish tanks.

part of him wants to come up with a reason to change his mind, or at least delay this because frankly he needs time to prepare if he's going to have taeil in his home.

but it's not really much of an option when he has the short male towing him out of the store.

"lead the way, and i'll follow you on my bike," taeil tells him eagerly.

minhyuk nods meekly in response.

 

 

minhyuk tries not to think about taeil's presence behind him as he fumbles with his house key, mumbles, "sorry about my dog. she doesn't really like strangers that much."

he doesn't expect the labrador to be waiting just inside the door, or to bound out when he gets it open, barking excitedly as she runs around taeil in a circle before sitting in front of him. the shorter male gives him a look, chuckling as he leans forward to pet the dog.

"u-usually she hides under my bed if i have anyone over," minhyuk insists. "she's never done this before."

"maybe i'm special," taeil grins; minhyuk isn't going to argue there. taeil scratches behind jaekyung's ears with both hands, earning a sigh of approval from the dog. "she seems quite friendly. i think i remember you called her jaekyung before, correct?"

"that's right," minhyuk nods, patting his knee for the labrador to follow him as he leads the way inside. "i've had her since she was a puppy. she's about 9 years old now."

"really?" taeil asks as slips his shoes off. "she seems younger than that."

"don't let her first impression fool you. she's the laziest dog on the planet," minhyuk tells him grimly, and taeil laughs.

"does her name have any significance?" the shorter male squats down as the dog wanders over to him again, rubbing her nose against his legs. "seems specific for a dog name."

minhyuk colors faintly. "that's, um..." he looks away embarrassedly when taeil glances up at him, curious. "promise not to laugh, okay...?" a nod. "... i got her in high school, so i named her after the girl i liked." as he'd predicted, taeil bursts out laughing.

"that's so you," he beams, scratching under her chin. minhyuk's shoulders slump in defeat.

once the two are settled, minhyuk brings taeil upstairs to his room where he'd set up the guppy tank.

"they seem really healthy," taeil says affectionately after watching the two fish swim around, energetically forming patterns in the water. "and happy," he adds, smiling as minhyuk comes over to join him. "you must be taking good care of them."

"they're only happy because you're here," minhyuk mutters, blushing lightly. taeil nudges him in the gut with an elbow.

"come on. trust me, i'm good at understanding fish," taeil says, so seriously that it takes a good amount of willpower to keep down the laugh that bubbles up in minhyuk's chest. how he ended up with such a weird boyfriend, he's still not sure.

although, he does have the overwhelming urge to kiss taeil now.

after a moment, he asks, "do you want to have dinner while you're here?"

"why? you gonna cook?" taeil responds slyly, giggling when minhyuk gives him an alarmed look.

"i was thinking we could just order something," he says sheepishly. "i-i mean, i could cook, but i'm not very good-"

"i was kidding," taeil arches a brow, clearly amused. "let's order something. pizza? oh, but you're paying!" minhyuk nods, a bit put out. "great! then i'm definitely staying!"

it's just dinner, minhyuk thinks to himself. he tries to pretend he doesn't have any ulterior motive as they head back downstairs.

they wind up eating in the living room by taeil's request, and only because of minhyuk's flat screen tv ("humor me, i've always wanted to eat dinner while watching tv on a big tv like this"). he puts on a rerun for a drama he'd actually been meaning to watch, but he and taeil spend the time talking instead, barely paying attention to the show.

when they're finished eating and minhyuk puts the leftover food away, they cuddle up on the couch, taeil's head resting on minhyuk's shoulder, and for a short while, minhyuk thinks he'll be okay.

perhaps that's why he's sort of caught off guard when taeil suddenly shifts, getting up to move into his lap, legs wrapping around his waist.

"t-taeil," he says weakly, breath hitching as taeil leans in, begins planting kisses on his neck, sucking at the sensitive skin.

"you don't think the only reason i came over was to see the fish, do you...?" the other male murmurs, words tingling on minhyuk's skin, and oh. oh.

god, yes.

minhyuk shifts to accommodate as taeil nips along his jaw, gripping onto the fabric of taeil's shirt to pull him closer.

he uses this time to locate all of the tattoos that had been hidden from him. there's one in particular on taeil's hip that he likes, especially accompanied by the needy whines that escape taeil's mouth as minhyuk's tongue traces the ink pattern.

he can't help thinking there are definitely things that taeil is good at apart from understanding fish.

 

 

minhyuk wakes up the morning of his 25th birthday and has an epiphany. it's while he's lazily feeding jihoon and princess, ignoring his phone as it vibrates from his bedside table.

"what about you guys, huh?" he says, eyeing the two guppies. "do fish celebrate birthdays?" their only response is to dart around, catching food flakes in their small mouths. minhyuk chuckles at himself before abandoning the tank to get his phone.

more than half the office has wished him happy birthday on facebook by now.

from jiho, "the big 25! glad i'm not that old yet... lol should i get u something? name whatever u want, my treat! just don't pick something too expensive, ur paycheck is bigger than mine! lol happy birthday man, see u in the office!"

and jaehyo, "happy birthday! we should go for drinks, don't you think? a new club opened up downtown, we should go! bring that fish guy, we can see if it's any good. i'll pay! let's make it a good day today, yeah? see you soon!"

there's yukwon's message, too: "did you know there's a meeting today...? ... to celebrate your birthday! just kidding. we can still celebrate at the office, though! happy birthday! hope it's a good one!"

minhyuk smiles to himself as he reads through each one. these are the messages left by his friends.

friends. that's the epiphany. minhyuk has friends. in the span of a year, he'd managed to form actual friendships, even if it's just with his coworkers.

"it's certainly a start," he mutters, still smiling. scrolling through the rest of the messages, he spots the one that he'd most anticipated.

"lee taeil: happy birthday, minhyukie! i have a special surprise for you later. kim yukwon will tell you about it~"

minhyuk’s brow furrows in confusion. what's that supposed to mean?

yukwon had left a comment asking, "are you sure you don't want to be the one to tell him?" to which taeil had replied, "you'll be able to explain it better than me!"

explain what, exactly?

minhyuk can barely contain his curiosity when he reaches his cubicle, scanning the surrounding area for the other male.

"happy birthday," jaehyo says, cocking a brow when minhyuk doesn't respond. "you know, people usually say thanks when someone wishes them happy birthday, unless i'm mistaken."

"ah, thanks," minhyuk says finally, giving up when he can't seem to locate yukwon. he goes to his desk, sitting down and hanging his coat on the back of his chair. "sorry, i was a little distracted."

"hey!" jiho comes over, greeting him with a hard pat on the shoulder. "happy birthday man. how's it feel, being 25?"

"no different than being 24, i suppose," minhyuk gives the younger boy an amused look.

it's something of a lie, actually. he feels a lot different in comparison to when he turned 24. more content. more whole. happier.

"so are we on for drinks tonight or no?" jaehyo cuts in. "i need to know whether or not to tell my girlfriend to get dinner for two."

"sure," minhyuk laughs. "it's been a while, why not?"

"i'm coming, too!" jiho exclaims. "i need an excuse to get shitfaced, i've been working way too much lately. i'm glad it's your birthday, hyung." minhyuk can only laugh again.

"there's more to celebrate than just his birthday," comes yukwon's voice, and minhyuk instantly spots him as he comes up behind jiho.

"there is?" jiho tilts his head, puzzled.

"you," minhyuk says, fixing yukwon with a stare. "what did-"

"i'm getting there," yukwon interrupts, suppressing a smile. "i don't know how much you know, since i'm assuming taeil kept it from you, but the whole situation was just settled with the bosses, so it's about time to tell you."

"tell me what?" minhyuk demands.

yukwon smiles, hesitating a moment just to watch the elder boy squirm. "starting today, our company formed a partnership with tropical fish. you've been assigned as the associate who will work directly with taeil."

minhyuk can't stop his jaw from dropping. this can't be real.

"seriously??" jiho's eyes widen. "that's incredible! it's hard to believe the dude would hardly let businessmen into his shop just a year ago and now he's ready to work alongside us."

"well, there's a bit of incentive now, isn't there," jaehyo says smugly. color floods to minhyuk's face.

"s-so you mean i'll be working with taeil now?" he asks weakly.

"that's right!" yukwon grins. "it'll probably be easier for the two of you to work at his store, though, so you may want to consider permanently moving down there." minhyuk gapes at him, still flabbergasted.

so this is what taeil meant by surprise.

when had he even begun planning this? minhyuk had seen no sign of it, witnessed no inclination of changing the way the store was run, and yet he can't deny that it sounds exceedingly tempting. he already spends most of his time in that shop anyway, so it might not change very much.

"now, i say we should get some food delivered to the office for our dear hyung's birthday," yukwon claps his hands together. "what do you say?"

"can we really do that?" jiho asks eagerly.

"i don't see why not," jaehyo tells him, shrugging. "probably shouldn't let the bosses find out, though."

"alright, i'm gonna go around and collect money from everybody," yukwon says. "we'll figure out what to order when i get back."

 

 

minhyuk heads down to tropical fish, briefcase tucked under his arm.

"you could have given me a hint," he says accusingly, arms folding across his chest as he stands at the doorway. taeil straightens from where he'd been going through files in the cabinet behind the counter, a grin tugging at his lips.

"i wanted it to be a surprise," he says as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "a good birthday present, don't you think?" minhyuk stays where he is for only a moment longer before abruptly approaching the counter and leaning over it to catch the shorter male in a kiss.

"i'm looking forward to working with you," he exhales, gaze lingering on taeil's as he draws back.

"me too," taeil smiles, a hint of tenderness in the expression. "happy birthday, love."

"thanks," minhyuk smiles, too, now. "come on, come up to the office with me. yukwon's ordering food for everybody."

"everybody?" taeil gives him a perplexed look.

"yeah. we're getting like 20 pizzas." the aquarist giggles and minhyuk frowns. "come on, we're celebrating my birthday. please...?"

"okay, okay," taeil concedes with a playful smirk. "but only because i want to see the poor delivery guy that has to bring all those pizzas."

 

 

minhyuk has his second epiphany later that evening when he's probably had one too many drinks and taeil has to drive him home, help him to his room, all the while exchanging open-mouthed kisses.

it's more of a series of small epiphanies that all connect, really, like fitting the last piece into a difficult puzzle he'd been working on for 25 years too long.

he loves his job. he loves taeil. he's satisfied with his life.

mostly just taeil, though.

 

 


End file.
